The present invention relates to air cleaners. In one particularly advantageous application, it concerns air cleaners for cleaning engine combustion intake air, for internal combustion engines. The invention particularly concerns a preferred cover member for use in an air cleaner assembly.
Internal combustion engines are generally provided in machinery, with an air cleaner arranged and positioned to filter air as it is directed from the ambient environment into the engine air intake, for combustion; or, to filter air for some other purposes for example compression. A wide variety of air cleaner systems are known. In many of these systems, a portion of the air cleaner which includes the filter media is constructed and arranged as a service part for removal and refurbishing or replacement. In general, replacement is periodically necessary since, in time, the filter media will become occluded with particulate material as a result of the filtering function.
During replacement, it is important to ensure the integrity of the filter element and to install the new element with generation of appropriate sealing to ensure protection of the engine against unfiltered ambient air reaching the engine air intake.
It is desirable that the air cleaner be designed such that the filter element can be removed and replaced in a convenient manner; and, also, it is preferable that the air cleaner be such that the filter element can be readily manufactured in a relatively low cost manner.
A one piece cover and filter element construction, i.e., cover member or assembly, useable in an air cleaner arrangement, is provided. The one piece cover and element construction includes a filter element construction nondetachably connected to (secured to) a cover wall member. Preferably, a composite arrangement for the cover member is used, including a preformed shroud construction secured to a preformed outer wall member. According to the present disclosure, a preferred method of assembly of such a cover member is provided. Also a preferred air cleaner assembly, including a preferred cover member, is provided.